Augustin Fresnel (1788-1827) shocked the scientific elite with his unique understanding of the physics of light. The lens he invented was a brilliant feat of engineering that made lighthouses blaze many times brighter, farther, & more efficiently. Battling the establishment, his own poor health, & the limited technology of the time, Fresnel was able to achieve his goal of illuminating the entire French coast. At first, the British sought to outdo the new Fresnel-equipped lighthouses as a matter of national pride. Americans, too, resisted abandoning their primitive lamps, but the superiority of the Fresnel lens could not be denied for long. Soon, from Dunkirk to Saigon, shores were brightened with it. The Fresnel legacy played an important role in geopolitical events, including the American Civil War. No sooner were Fresnel lenses finally installed along U.S. shores than they were drafted: the Union blockaded the Confederate coast; the Confederacy set about thwarting it by dismantling & hiding or destroying the powerful new lights. Levitt`s scientific & historical account, rich in anecdote & personality, brings to life the fascinating untold story of Augustin Fresnel & his powerful invention. ...

Dive into this visually inspired, fun & insightful guide to the United Kingdom, past & present, packed full of historical highlights from the dark days of ancient Britain to the lightning-fast Age of Information. Discover the stomach-churning scope of Henry VIII`s voluminous diet, learn about the intricate anatomy of a Spitfire & improve your understanding of the mind-boggling phenomenon that is the British weather. These & many more fascinating facts are presented in this beautifully designed infographic guide to the best bits of Blighty! ...

In 330 AD, the first Christian Emperor, Constantine the Great, moved his capital from Rome to Byzantium & renamed it Constantinople. This concise book, an abridged version of the author`s acclaimed three-volume history, uses character sketches & vivid descriptions bring history to life. A real-life epic of love & war, accessible to anyone
- Independent on Sunday
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The turbulent & chequered past of the world`s most populous country is one of the most fascinating in world history, & relatively little known in the west. From the beginnings of Chinese prehistory right through to internet censorship with the Great Firewall of China, Gordon Kerr offers a comprehensive introduction to the sprawling history of this enormous country. ...

A Short History of Decay (1949) is E. M. Cioran`s nihilistic & witty collection of aphoristic essays concerning the nature of civilization in mid-twentieth-century Europe. Touching upon Man`s need to worship, the feebleness of God, the downfall of the Ancient Greeks & the melancholy baseness of all existence, Cioran`s pieces are pessimistic in the extreme, but also display a beautiful certainty that renders them delicate, vivid, & memorable. Illuminating & brutally honest, A Short History of Decay dissects Man`s decadence in a remarkable series of moving & beautiful pieces. ...

Almost every culture on earth has drink, & where there`s drink there`s drunkenness. But in every age & in every place drunkenness is a little bit different. It can be religious, it can be sexual, it can be the duty of kings or the relief of peasants. It can be an offering to the ancestors, or a way of marking the end of a day`s work. It can send you to sleep, or send you into battle.A Short History of Drunkenness traces humankind`s love affair with booze from our primate ancestors through to Prohibition, answering every possible question along the way: What did people drink? How much? Who did the drinking? Of the many possible reasons, why? On the way, learn about the Neolithic Shamans, who drank to communicate with the spirit world (no pun intended), marvel at how Greeks got giddy & Romans got rat-arsed, & find out how bars in the Wild West were never quite like in the movies. This is a history of the world at its inebriated best. ...

A comic history of humankind`s love affair with booze, from the Sunday Times No. 1 bestselling author of The Etymologicon` Haha!... Highly suitable for Xmas!`
- Margaret Atwood Almost every culture on earth has drink, & where there`s drink there`s drunkenness. But in every age & in every place drunkenness is a little bit different. It can be religious, it can be sexual, it can be the duty of kings or the relief of peasants. It can be an offering to the ancestors, or a way of marking the end of a day`s work. It can send you to sleep, or send you into battle.A Short History of Drunkenness traces humankind`s love affair with booze from our primate ancestors through to Prohibition, answering every possible question along the way: What did people drink? How much? Who did the drinking? Of the many possible reasons, why? On the way, learn about the Neolithic Shamans, who drank to communicate with the spirit world (no pun intended), marvel at how Greeks got giddy & Romans got rat-arsed, & find out how bars in the Wild West were never quite like in the movies. This is a history of the world at its inebriated best.
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This is a definitive concise account of our remarkable past. From the Battle of Catterick (AD 598) to the premiership of Tony Blair, one of Britain's most respected journalists, Simon Jenkins, weaves together a strong narrative with all the most important & interesting dates in a book that characteristically is as stylish as it is authoritative. There have been long synoptic histories of England but until now there has been no standard short work covering all significant events, themes & individuals. Published with the support of the National Trust, & beautifully illustrated, this magisterial history will be the standard work for years to come. ...

This is the definitive concise account of our remarkable past. Which battle was fought ` For Engl&, Harry & St George`? Who demanded to be painted `warts & all`? What
- & when
- was the Battle of the Bulge? In ”A Short History of England”, bestselling author Simon Jenkins answers all these questions
- & many more
- as he tells the tumultuous story of a fascinating nation. From the invaders of the dark ages to today`s coalition, via the Tudors, the Stuarts & two world wars, Jenkins weaves together a gripping narrative with all the most important & interesting dates in his own inimitable style. Until now there has been no short history of England covering all significant event themes & individuals: this bestselling book, published in association with the National Trust, will be the standard work for years to come.



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From the invaders of the dark ages to the aftermath of the coalition, one of Britain`s most respected journalists, Simon Jenkins, weaves together a strong narrative with all the most important & interesting dates in a book that characteristically is as stylish as it is authoritative.A Short History of England sheds light on all the key individuals & events, bringing them together in an enlightening & engaging account of the country`s birth, rise to global prominence & then partial eclipse. There have been long synoptic histories of England but until now there has been no standard short work covering all significant events, themes & individuals. Now updated to take in the rapid progress of recent events & beautifully illustrated, this magisterial history will be the standard work for years to come. ...